Cortical Labs CL1 uses living neurons to process information, offering extreme energy efficiency for research labs
Cortical Labs, a biotech company focused on synthetic intelligence, has revealed the CL1, the world’s first commercial biological computer. The system uses living human neurones grown on silicon chips to perform computational tasks.
The CL1, targeted at research labs, aims to explore how real neurones process information while consuming far less energy than traditional AI. It is expected to ship in 2025 and offers optional “wetware as a service” through the cloud.
The CL1, also termed the “body in a box”, consists of around 800,000 neurones created in the lab using stem cells, which can be generated from blood and skin cells. These cultured neurones are placed in a nutrient-rich solution and linked to a microelectrode array.
Cortical Labs Chief Technology Officer Dr Tom Hynes said: “Our Biological Intelligence Operating System enables the neurones to communicate with each other in real-time using electrical impulses, effectively allowing adaptive learning like a small brain.” The prototypes have already been able to learn and play Pong.
Cortical Labs’ CEO Dr Jane Smith added that the CL1 draws up to a million times less power than traditional computers. The device also includes artificial life support systems such as pumps, filters, and respiration to sustain the neurones for up to six months. This makes the device best suited for research in neuroscience, AI, and hybrid computing systems.
The device is best used in research settings and offers scientists a new way to research the process of computation in neurones. The device also offers cloud-based access to experiments and can thus be used to position biological computing as an adjunct to existing AI systems.
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